


Ray's Room

by modern_oedipus



Category: Giovanni's Room - James Baldwin, 約束のネバーランド | Yakusoku no Neverland | The Promised Neverland (Manga)
Genre: Alternative Universe - Giovanni's Room, Bartender Ray, Bisexuality, F/M, Gender Roles, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Other, Paris Era, Psychological Drama, Screenplay/Script Format, Theatre, Writer Norman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2021-01-03 21:07:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21185996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/modern_oedipus/pseuds/modern_oedipus
Summary: Summary: A Giovanni's Room AU in which Ray is a bartender and Norman is a confused man torn between his relationship with Emma and what he truly wants from life. The story takes place in early 1900-s.





	Ray's Room

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Here is an experimental work of mine. I have recently read the short novel Giovanni's Room written by James Baldwin and I couldn't help but crave to see it performed on stage. Since such a thing was not yet possible, I wanted to write a screenplay of this story— but twisted the events a little and adapted them to my favorite couple instead. I strongly advise you to read the novel if you have not.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Giovanni's Room nor The Promised Neverland, but script adaptation is written by me.

**Act I**

_ (A man in his late twenties sits on an old chair at the center of the stage. Next to him is a small table, on the table lies dozens of letters and an old bed lamp that leaks a dim yellow light.) _

  
  


**NORMAN: **

I remember his room, better than I remember anything else in my life. 

Clustered it was, walls nearly stuck together. Piles of dirty laundry. Sketches. Remains of the oil paintings. Leftover dishes of filthy food. A violin— a violin that never moved an inch from the ground on the days we lived together.

I remember his bed, better than any other bed I have slept in— Better than the small bed of my boyhood that squeezed in more people than it could. Even though… our time shared was but as brief as life of a butterfly.

_ (Norman stands up and walks three steps forward, now facing the audience.) _

I remember his touch— his hands are rough like a man’s, yet they hold me more gently than any woman did. I remember his lips, buried on my neck. I remember how his teeth steal tainted cries from my dirty body that no other man or woman will ever hear.

I am Norman Ratri, and I remember a lot of things about Ray Grace. 

But I seem to forget the fact that Ray will be dead by tonight.

_ (Norman picks up a photograph from the ground and looks at it painfully.) _

As I come to the end, I realize that this has never been my story.

_ (He looks up.) _

This has always been his story.

  
  
  
  
  


**Act II**

_ (An entertaining night in Paris. City nights. A bar stand. A young, tall and handsome man is preparing drink as two middle aged men enter the sceen, accompanied by Norman between them.)  _

  
  


**NORMAN: **

Alcohol before dinner! You sure are on your good day!

_ (One of the older men order drinks for three.) _

**YUUGO: **

Your place is so lively today, man.

**LUCAS: **

_ (Clicks his tongue, grinning.)  _

Glad ya’ noticed. I finally brought something good. 

_ (Both older men check the bartender out as he works. Norman doesn’t leave his eyes from his drink.) _

**YUUGO:**

Indeed. Tested him out yet?

**LUCAS: **

_ (Laughs.)  _

Not yet, my friend. But what good is the poorly cooked meat? You need to roast your food slowly. Come on, Ray— Pour us some more tequila.

**RAY:**

_ (Unfazed by the comments.) _

Right away, sir.

**NORMAN:**

_ (Finishes his drink and proceeds to stand up.) _

I am out of this conversation.

**YUUGO:**

Come on, darling. You know a man ‘s ought to be honest.

**LUCAS: **

_ (Pats Norman’s shoulder lightly.) _

Absolutely! Now tell— tell us, Normie, which one of us do you think that will first have the food?

_ (Ray places their drinks in front of them and returns to serve other customers.) _

  
  


**NORMAN:**

_ (Glances at Ray briefly, remains silent, then sharply finishes his drink in one shot.) _

I don’t know.

**YUUGO:**

There you go. Your face is already red.

_ (Mixed laughters echo.) _

**LUCAS:**

_ (Looks at Norman)  _

Looks like someone is still bitter.

**YUUGO: **

Bitter like a  _ chocolate _ , you mean— ‘cause Normie gets utterly sweet when you taste him.

**LUCAS: **

Perhaps just a cocoa powder.  _ Unsweetened.  _

_ (Norman finishes his second drink.) _

  
  


**YUUGO:**

Woah woah, slow down.

**LUCAS: **

_ (Caresses Norman’s shoulder encouragingly.)  _

Don’t mind him, dear. He is just afraid of paying a fortune to my bar.

**NORMAN: **

_ (Pushes his empty glass across to bar stand to mimic that he wants more.)  _

Well, I am not paying tonight. You two gentlemen can settle this between.

_ (Ray approaches to prepare drinks.) _

**RAY: **

Same as before, sir?

**NORMAN:**

Yeah.

_ (Lucas and Yuugo look at each other. Yuugo sighs, putting some cash on the bar stand.) _

**YUUGO: **

Whatever. Give him whatever he wants, darling.

_ (Norman smiles. Ray gets back to work.) _

**LUCAS: **

So, how is it going with Emma? Geez— You are one hell of a  _ traitor _ , Normie, sleeping around with  _ women! _

**NORMAN: **

_ (Smiles.) _

She’s been away. She said she needs time to think.

**YUUGO: **

_ (Cries out.)  _

Time— Time for what!?

**LUCAS:**

_ (Wanders his hand on Norman’s inner thighs.) _

Any woman who has second thoughts on a man like you is no real woman. Look at you— So young, yet so  _ good _ , handsome too, you even got a job. What else can a woman of her age ask for? 

**YUUGO:**

An author. An author! No wonder why you are so eager to have your drinks paid like a woman.

**NORMAN: **

_ (Puts his halfly finished drink on the bar stand and glances at him angrily.) _

If you can’t handle paying, maybe you should find another man,  _ sir. _ If any man will ever care about you without anything you can offer to them.

**YUUGO:**

_ (Laughs, caressing Norman’s other inner thigh that wasn’t occuppied by Lucas. The sight is invisible to the Ray, who is on the other side of the bar stand.) _

Ease up, baby.

_ (Both men touch him.) _

You are so stiff… That’s a pity.

**LUCAS:**

We could ease you up, baby. In a way your woman can’t do.

_ (Norman finishes his drink. Yuugo and Lucas follows. Ray serves the other customers. After a while, Lucas speaks.) _

**LUCAS: **

I have a good feeling about tonight, my friends. I think my meat is well cooked by now.

**NORMAN: **

I can smell it burn.

**YUUGO:**

Rootin’ for ya, bud. 

**LUCAS: **

But— The young! Oh, the young! Us old men can’t pique their interest once our wallet draws thin. But you, Normie— You could create a path to me! Do me a favor, consider it your payment for the drinks.

**NORMAN: **

_ (Raises an eyebrow, taking a sip from his drink.) _

What do you want?

**YUUGO:**

Nothing your good looks can’t do, Normie. He just wants you to start a conversation. I’m sure he can bring the rest.

**NORMAN: **

_ (Grimaces.) _

What if he thinks I am interested? I’m not— I’m not like  _ you.  _ I am not here to hunt men.

**LUCAS:**

It will be alright, bud. I will make sure that no misunderstandings are hold.

**NORMAN: **

I don’t know… Perhaps I need a little… _ (turns at Yuugo)  _ prize. 

**YUUGO:**

_ (Sighs, rubbing his knuckles.) _

Fine. Now come— ‘m gonna fuck you hard in the upstairs bathroom, ‘n when we are back Mr. Meat Cooker will pay for the rest.

_ (Stands up, looking at both.) _

All good?

**NORMAN:**

All good.

_ (Yuugo and Norman leave the scene.) _

**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact: I wrote this inside a laboratory while I was waiting for my PCR to settle. Recently I have been working on developing a new drug against diabetes which can hopefully prevent the patients from injecting painful needles regularly. I edited this on my way to a brief vacation, so— yes! I really wrote this script in very funny places. What do you think? This is my first time trying this type of writing and I'd love to hear what you think, whether you would love to read the next chapters, etc. Also, to readers who have read my other fanfictions: Which type of my writing is more of your taste? A novel settling like Deceived? A more dynamic one like Conflict? Or a theatre text? Looking forward to hear from you! Enjoy!
> 
> To be notified for future updates, follow https://nilawrites.tumblr.com/.


End file.
